Mail Reference

Information specialists at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture answer ready reference letters. Replies are limited to requests about Library holdings and other inquiries that can be quickly answered in subjects covered by the Libraries. Reference letters and e-mail requests requiring further research can be directed to the Library's fee-based information service, research@nypl.org.

Address letters to the division holding the material you are interested in: Art and Artifacts Division, Research and Reference Division, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division, Moving Image and Recorded Sound Division, Photographs and Prints Division. If you are not certain where you should direct your letter, address it to: Research and Reference Division, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, 515 Malcolm X Boulevard, New York, NY 10037-1801

Telephone Reference

This service is limited to questions about Schomburg's holdings and other quick questions that can be answered in five minutes or less.

Each division offers telephone reference service during public service hours.
Art and Artifacts Division: 212-491-2241
Research and Reference Division: 212-491-2218
Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division: 212-491-2224
Moving Image and Recorded Sound Division: 212-491-2236
Photographs and Prints Division: 212-491-2057

On-site Research Consultations

On-site research consultations provide identification of appropriate resources and search strategy guidance, as well as referrals, for research inquiries related to Schomburg's collecting areas.

To schedule an appointment or to have an onsite consultation, call or e-mail the division in question:
Art and Artifacts Division: 212-491-2241, scartref@nypl.org
Research and Reference Division: 212-491-2218, scgenref@nypl.org
Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division: 212-491-2224, scmarbref@nypl.org
Moving Image and Recorded Sound Division: 212-491-2236, scmirsref@nypl.org
Photographs and Prints Division: 212-491-2057, scphotoref@nypl.org